By Bryan Bloodworth
BLOOMINGTON – Normal West High School’s football team punched its ticket into the state playoff series in Friday football action, while Normal Community and Central Catholic improved their chances for a higher seed when the pairings are announced Saturday night.
West 52, BHS 34
Normal West erupted for 21 points in the fourth quarter at Bloomington to earn a 52-34 Big 12 Conference victory over the Purple Raiders. It was the final game in BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer’s 23-year reign. BHS finished the season 2-7 overall and 2-4 in the Big 12.
West, which has a 6-3 overall mark and finished 4-2 in the conference, trailed 34-31 heading into the fourth quarter before the Wildcats rose to the occasion.
Quarterback Mitch Fairfield scored two of the fourth quarter touchdowns on runs of 2 and 5 yards and Dajour Forrest added the final one on a 61-yard run. Forrest finished with 254 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. He also was one the receiving end of a 36-yard scoring strike from Fairfield.
Fairfield completed 11 of 21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and rushed nine times for 115 yards and two scores. Jack Coakley had a 23-yard touchdown catch and Tim O’Briwn added a 25-yard field goal.
BHS led at the three quarter stops, 14-10, 21-17 and 34-31. The Purple Raiders were led by Jaylen Hayes with 103 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. Telly Arrington, who left the game with an injury, had 80 yards on 18 carries and threw a 51-yard touchdown pass.
Brent Finley caught a 24-yard scoring pass and Cary Lockhart returned a kickoff 74 yards for a score.
NCHS 45, Rich Central 14
The Ironmen scored on three of their first four possessions for a 20-0 lead after the first half to roll to their eighth victory in nine outings and more than likely secured a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
The NCHS offense, behind quarterback Grant Price and running back Alec Bozarth, gained 439 yards with 205 through the air and 234 rushing. Price completed 16 of 24 passes and threw for three touchdowns. He also had 55 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Bozarth finished with 81 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Rich Central had 305 yards of offense and was held scoreless until late in the third quarter.
Central 48, Macomb 13
The Saints won their eighth straight game in this non-conference affair at Bill Hundman Field after a season-opening loss to No. 1 state Class 5A ranked Washington. The victory was th 500th in school history.
Central took advantage of five Macomb turnovers as Kyle Connor and John Hayes each recovered two. The Saints’ first score came on a 2-yard run by Brett Segobiano and added their second on a 15-yard pass from Jake Baughman to Hayes.
Bobby Brady gave Central a 28-0 halftime lead on a 38-yard punt return and a 15-yard scoring strike from Baughman
Brady hauled in a 15-yard touchdown strike from Baughman to extend the Saints’ margin to 28-0 entering halftime. Central’s final score came on a 12-yard run by Eli Davis. Segobiano paced the Saints with 162 yards on 17 carries.
Moline 35, U-High 0
U-High could never get its offense going in a non-conference loss that dropped its overall record to 6-3. The Pioneers, playing without leading rusher Jo Jo Hughes (out with a concussion), had one first down in its first drive and didn’t get another one until the fourth quarter.
U-High was held to less than 100 yards on offense as quarterback Doug Holmes completed 9 of 24 passes for 80 yards. Brett Drake led the Pioneers’ running game with 14 yards on six carries. QuayShawn Wilson led Moline with 145 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown in moving its record to 5-4.
INTERCITY
Normal West 52, Bloomington 24
Normal Community 45, Rich Central 14
Central Catholic 35, Macomb 13
Moline 35, U-High 0
HEART OF ILLINOIS
El Paso-Gridley 49, Heyworth 24
LeRoy 36, RBL 3
GCMS 47, Fisher 0
Tremont 42, Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland 6
Deer Creek-Mackinaw 44, Rockford Country Life 8
Fieldcrest 34, Eureka 14
CORN BELT
St. Joseph-Ogden 30, Prairie Central 13
Effingham 34, Mahomet-Seymour 28
Pontiac 12, Kankakee 8
Olympia 58, Rantoul 32
BIG 12
Peoria Central 36, Peoria Notre Dame 28 OT
Peoria Richwoods 56, Peoria Manual 8
Champaign Central 28, Champaign Centennial 21
Danville 45, Urbana 26
OTHERS
Springfield Lanphier 61, Lincoln 20
Clinton 42, Sullivan 38
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
